Posted on November 27, 2012

Last month, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit upheld federal laws and regulations that prohibit federally licensed dealers from selling handguns to individuals who are younger than 21. The Fifth Circuit explained that laws restricting teenagers and young adults from accessing firearms are consistent with a variety of longstanding gun safety regulations, including regulations that were in place at the time of nation’s founding. The court also cited statistics showing that gun crimes are most often committed with handguns and findings revealing that laws restricting access to handguns among individuals who are younger than 21 are associated with less crime.

To find out more about this case, Nat’l Rifle Ass’n v. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, Tobacco, and Explosives, visit our Second Amendment resources.